Winter's Magic
by Autumnia
Summary: On Christmas Eve, two children try to discover if they can find the same type of magic in England as they did in Narnia.
1. Chapter 1

**Winter's Magic**

**A/N:** I had meant this to post this in time for the Christmas holiday but it turned out to be much longer than I expected, and it had literally taken all of December to finish. Therefore, I beg your indulgence in posting this even though it's now January and we are many, many months away before Christmas comes around again.

My most heartfelt thank you to **rthstewart** for her comments and encouragement to post this here.

**Disclaimer:** _The Chronicles of Narnia_ belong to the estate of C.S. Lewis. I own nothing but the plot to this story.

* * *

**Chapter One:**

_Christmas Eve, 1942_

It was almost magical.

She stared out the window, watching as snow blanketed the garden. There had not been much snow in these parts of England for several years but on this night, of all nights, Mother Nature seemed to be making up for it.

She had never been fond of winter; the cold weather always chilled her to the bones despite the abundant layers she wore before heading outside. Though she was safely ensconced in a warm house this evening, she couldn't help but shiver as she continued to gaze at the snowflakes that descended from the sky.

There was a creak behind her as the door opened and shut. She didn't turn around, as she had been waiting for him to come downstairs to join her. The shuffling of slippers on the wooden floor grew louder until she felt him standing close behind her.

"It's almost magical, don't you think?" she whispered, knowing he would hear her.

"What's magical?"

She started, surprised at the voice that answered her. It was decidedly feminine and therefore did not belong to Scrubb. She turned around, eyes wide as she took in the appearance of the other speaker.

The newcomer was a girl some years older than herself. Blue eyes looked quizzically at her from a face framed by golden curls. Even in the darkness, her blonde hair seemed to glow with an otherworldly light.

"Queen Lucy!" There was a frown from the other girl, and she amended her greeting. "I mean, Lucy."

They had first met earlier that afternoon, when her parents dropped her off at Miss Plummer's house. Scrubb had been preparing her for this eventual meeting with his cousins during the autumn term, but she still couldn't help but be surprised. It was all fine and well for him; he at least had the excuse of being related to them. When he had spoken of his cousins to her, they were often referred to as "just the Pevensies" but it was still very different if one did not belong to their family.

Though she did not know all of their stories, she had heard enough to fill her with a sense of awe for the Pevensies. She had heard it in the voices of the storytellers as well; the Centaurs and Badgers had spoken of them with such reverence and loyalty that it imparted the same type of respect for them within her.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that she would call Lucy not by her given name (a habit she had picked up in that awful school she and Scrubb currently attended) but by the rightful title she held years ago, no matter which reckoning one went by.

"Jill?" Lucy's voice drew her thoughts back to the present. She blinked and focused her attention on the older girl.

"I—it's just," she faltered, then gave up and waved a hand at the window, "Well, it's snowing."

"Yes, it is," the blonde girl stepped forward and leaned over to get a better look out the window. "And you think it's magical?"

"_Almost_ magical," she corrected Lucy. At that, the Queen turned to look at her, the question in her eyes. "It reminds me of Narnia, but it's not the same. It doesn't have the same," she grasped for the right word, "..._magic_."

"Of course not," Lucy said crisply. "Narnia is Narnia, and England is England; you really can't compare the two," she paused for a minute and when she spoke again, her voice was softer. "But even so, there is a sort of magic here, even though it's not as apparent as it is There. You'll see it too, one day, if not now."

Jill turned her attention back to the window. A light wind had picked up and she watched as the falling snow changed direction, forming random patterns as the flurries swirled around in the air. In the span of a breath, the wind shifted again and the crystalline droplets changed course once more, creating a different pattern as they descended to the ground. She imagined each flake taking on a life of its own, pivoting in the air and moving in time to music she couldn't hear.

"I think you're right, Que—Lucy," she eventually said, "I think I can see a little bit of what you mean. There does seem to be something magical in the snow; somehow it reminds me a little of Narnia."

"In what way?" the other girl asked.

She had to think for a moment before answering. There was something about the scene outside that struck a chord with her but she couldn't quite place it. She reviewed her thoughts about the view outside and then added in her memories of the adventure she and Scrubb shared. Though the events had taken place several months ago, she still remembered everything with perfect clarity.

And then she had it.

"The Dancing," she said, her eyes shining as she remembered. "We had reached the end of a tunnel that was our escape from the Underland. I was the first to climb out of it and what I saw were Narnians all around me, dancing and throwing snowballs into the air."

Lucy clapped her hands in delight. "The Great Snow Dance!" she exclaimed, familiar with the scene that Jill described. "Oh, how marvelous that you had been able to witness it that night!"

The younger girl nodded in agreement. "After all of us were freed from the tunnel, I had asked one of the Fauns about the dance and he said it was performed every year at that very spot."

"Oh yes," said Lucy, "it was a tradition that started at the end of the first year of our reign." There was a faraway look in her eyes and Jill had the impression that Lucy was thinking back to a time that was very long ago.

"It was the very first day that snow fell on Narnia since the Great Winter ended," the Queen recalled. "My siblings and I were concerned about how the Narnians would react to seeing snow again after living constantly with it for a hundred years. We were afraid it would remind them of the Witch and so we rode out that morning to see how they dealt with it."

"And what did you see?" Jill asked.

Lucy smiled. "We saw that our worries were mostly unfounded. There were a few groups that thought Jadis had returned from the dead but when they saw us—two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve—riding out to greet them, they truly realized that awful Winter was over and the Witch would never return.

"So instead of fearing the snow and the coming of winter, the Narnians rejoiced and reveled in it. There were many young ones born earlier that year and they took pleasure in frolicking around in the snow, as they should. The older ones that lived through the Great Winter were a bit more solemn but they did not fear it as they once did.

"By the time we were ready to turn back, the sun had already set and it was getting too dark to return to Cair Paravel. We decided to just set up camp in the forest, on an open field just north of the Great River."

"It must have been wonderful," Jill said when Lucy paused for a breath. She could easily relate to sleeping outside; she, Scrubb and Puddleglum had spent many a night under the Narnian skies as they went in search of Prince Rilian.

"It was," the Queen agreed. "We could not have picked a better night to spend in the woods. The Narnians that lived in the area came out and helped us with our tents and brought kindling for the fire. After dinner, we began to settle down for the evening when there was a break in the clouds and the moon shone down all around us. The snow seemed to sparkle in the moonlight and it was so beautiful to behold.

"And then one of the Satyrs suggested a dance and everyone else quickly agreed. The Narnians decided that it was the perfect way to celebrate so many things. It would be their way to mark the changing of the season and to honor the Great Lion and my family, since we helped to fulfill the Prophecy and brought an end to the enchanted Winter.

"So the Fauns brought out their pipes and together with the Dwarfs and their drums, they started to play a most wonderful tune. The other Beasts and Creatures formed a circle and as soon as we heard the first note, they began dancing and kicking snow into the air." Lucy paused again in her tale and there was a twinkle in her eye as she looked to Jill. "After the first dance, they realized it was easier (and more accurate) for everyone to throw snowballs instead of trying to kick up loose snow.

"And that was how the Great Snow Dance was born."

As Lucy described the origins of that Narnian tradition, Jill could vividly picture in her head the Dance as she had seen it. She remembered Dwarfs in scarlet cloaks, talking Animals and Nymphs swaying to the music. There were rings of Centaurs and Satyrs, moving their hooves in time with the beat of the drums. She blushed as she remembered how engrossed she was in watching the Dance that she didn't see the snowball flying towards her until it hit her square in the face.

"I'm glad to hear that one of the old traditions from our time survived long after our rule had ended." She thought she heard a mix of sadness and relief in the Queen's voice. She shot a glance in Lucy's direction and was surprised by what she saw. Lucy wasn't much older than she or Scrubb yet her eyes held something that she had never seen in other children their age. Where there was normally mischief and innocence, Jill saw wisdom and gravity reflected in the other girl's eyes.

Scrubb had not spoken much of his cousins' past. He told her that they had made several visits to Narnia and during their first trip, they lived there for quite some time. That they became Kings and Queens around the same age as she and Scrubb were now and were well into adulthood by the time they returned to England and their proper ages.

When she inquired further, he simply said, "It's not my story to tell," and that she should ask them in person. She would never have guessed that such an opportunity would present itself so soon after her own trip to Narnia.

Jill had recorded the details of her adventure in a journal after she and Scrubb returned to Experiment House. It was a way for her to remember that it hadn't been a dream, though Scrubb had been there with her and they still had the Narnian clothes to prove they did travel to another world.

And in the back of the journal, she had compiled a long list of topics she wanted to ask the Pevensies. There were questions about the various Talking Beasts and other Creatures, and how the geography of the Narnia had changed since their last visit. She was curious as to how they met King Caspian, and she wanted to know more about Aslan. The list went on for several pages and as her thoughts drifted to Narnia occasionally, new questions popped into her head.

Yet with Queen Lucy standing next to her at that moment, she was unable to work up the courage to ask even a single question.

Silence fell between the two girls as they were lost in their own thoughts, though their eyes continued to watch the snow fall. The quiet lasted for several minutes before Lucy spoke again.

"I hope you'll forgive my intrusion earlier," the older girl hesitated slightly, an apologetic smile on her face. "I went to fetch a glass of water and saw a light coming through the crack in the door. I thought everyone had gone to bed already and someone had accidentally left a candle burning in the room."

"Oh." Now it was her turn to look embarrassed. She had waited until the house was quiet and still before she crept out of her room. Jill felt her cheeks grow warm as she wondered how much she should say. "Well, that's quite all right. I was waiting for Scrubb, actually."

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "For Eustace?"

She was saved from further explanation when the door opened again. Both girls turned their heads at the sound and saw the boy in question appear in the doorframe.

"Sorry, Pole," he said in a low voice as he stepped inside. His back was to them as he carefully pushed the door closed. "I had some trouble getting away and—" It wasn't until he turned around that he found yet another person in the room besides Jill. "Oh."

"Hello, Eustace."

* * *

**Up next:** In which getting caught leads to questioning, and even the questioning is questionable.


	2. Chapter 2

**Winter's Magic**

**Chapter Two:**

There was a moment of silence in the room as the boy tried to recover from his surprise upon seeing Lucy there. The older girl looked at him calmly, having just been informed by Jill of his expected appearance.

"Um, hello Lucy," he replied sheepishly.

"Jill was just telling me that she was waiting for you." Jill thought she heard a hint of amusement in the other girl's voice.

"Ah, yes." His eyes darted toward her and with a slight tilt of her head toward Lucy, she gave him a brief shrug. They had been caught and she was terrible at making excuses.

Eustace sighed and he turned his attention back to his cousin. She was obviously waiting for an explanation and as he remembered the time he spent aboard the _Dawn Treader_, he knew Lucy had considerable patience when necessary.

"Well, it's not what you think," he began.

Jill gaped at him, her eyes wide as she turned her head to look at Lucy. Surely, the Queen didn't think...

The blonde girl looked them over with a stern expression. Though it was just Lucy before them, Jill felt as if she had just been reprimanded by her parents. She cast a brief glance at Scrubb and saw him squirm under his cousin's gaze.

And it was then that she suddenly remembered something that Scrubb had told her during the term about his cousins.

"When you meet them, they might seem a bit peculiar," he had said. "Sometimes, they don't like act like you think they would. They could be fun one moment and dead serious the next. When that happens, don't be surprised." He had paused as he carefully chose his next words. "I'm probably not explaining it very straight, but it's as if they've become _more_ Narnian in those moments. "

"How could being serious be more Narnian, Scrubb?" she had asked. With the exceptions of Puddleglum, the Centaurs and Prince Rilian, she thought the Narnians she had met and seen were fun and carefree, the complete opposite of what her friend had described.

He had shrugged. "It's a bit hard to explain. You'll see what I mean."

She had thought it trivial at the time but it seemed to make sense now. The Lucy she had met earlier was different than the one that stood here now. She wondered if this was Lucy as she was when she ruled in Narnia.

As it was her fault that they were caught, Jill felt she had to say something in defense of Scrubb. She made ready to speak on behalf of her friend but when she looked up at Lucy, she was taken aback by what she saw.

The Queen was _smiling_.

"Eustace," it was said fondly, with a bit of exasperation, "what do _you_ think I would think?" Lucy shook her head at him. "I am not Susan nor am either of my brothers," she reminded him. "Though, if it _had_ been Peter or Edmund..."

Jill had never seen a face turn red as fast as Scrubb's; it seemed the boy clearly understood what Lucy had left unsaid. She thought the High King and his brother had been very nice to _her_, but it was to be expected since they had just met for the first time. And though she did not know them very well, there was one fact that could not be denied: Peter and Edmund may be Kings, but they were also _boys_ and as such, it was hard not to feel a pang of sympathy for her friend.

"Then I am glad that it is Queen Lucy the Wise here before me," Scrubb said quickly, his head bowed in deference to her.

Lucy laughed lightly. "Valiant I may be but not always so wise. And don't try to change the subject."

Eustace sighed again as he realized she could not be deterred from the issue. At least it would be easier for him to explain things to Lucy than to his other cousins. "Well, it's like this," he began once more, but stopped just as quickly as the sound of voices in the hall caught his attention.

At his pause, the two girls glanced at him before they too heard the same sounds. They watched as the door swung inward, allowing the conversation that was taking place outside to become all the more clearer.

"—didn't see her in her room, so she's probably down here already." The boy who was speaking stepped inside, his head turned away from them as he was focused on something behind him. The object of his attention turned out to be another boy that followed him into the room. The two of them stopped short as they noticed Lucy, Eustace and Jill watching them.

Silence enveloped the room for several seconds.

"Well," the first boy finally said as he took in the scene before him, "this explains much." He gave a little nod to Lucy before turning his attention to the other two children in the room. "What are you two doing up?"

The second boy peered over the shoulder of the first to get a better view of who exactly were in front of them. "Eustace? Jill?" he addressed them, a puzzled expression on his face, "I thought the two of you had gone to sleep." His voice contained no trace of accusation; he seemed more curious about their presence than anything else.

Inwardly, Jill cringed. Upon her arrival, she learned that she would be sharing a room with Lucy and Susan. Though Miss Plummer's house was bigger than her own, all the spare rooms had been filled with guests for the holiday. Professor Kirke occupied the bedroom next to Miss Plummer's while the six children were divided into two more rooms further down the hall.

Neither Eustace nor Jill minded in the least; the only problem was how to sneak out of their respective rooms unnoticed. Jill thought she had done pretty well in that regard; she had taken extra cushions and stuffed them under the blankets as to appear that she was still in bed. She thought Eustace must have done the same; it was an activity they practiced many a night during the term as they snuck out of their dorms to meet each other and explore the school grounds. It must have worked if she understood Peter's confusion correctly.

She watched as the High King stepped forward until he stood next to his brother. As they stood side by side, Jill perceived that the room had become rather crowded. It had been fairly comfortable when it was just Lucy, Scrubb and herself; they were of similar build though Lucy, being older, was slightly taller. But with the arrival of two more of Scrubb's cousins, it suddenly felt as if the room had shrunk in size. The Kings were rather tall and despite the difference in ages, Edmund was only several inches shorter than Peter. Both of them had an athletic build though the High King was broader across the chest and shoulders. Since the brothers were bigger and at least a head taller than their fair-haired sister, they seemed to tower over herself and Eustace.

"Well?" Edmund's voice cut through her thoughts and brought her back to the present. He continued to look at them with a raised brow and an expression that was very similar to Lucy's when the Queen had questioned Jill. "Why are you lot up?" he repeated his question.

"Why are _you_?" Eustace countered, mildly irritated by the interruptions to their plans. Not only had he been late to his meeting with Jill, but they had also been caught by three of his cousins.

"I asked first," Edmund replied, smirking. "King's privilege."

The younger boy scowled as Jill pressed a hand to her mouth to cover her smile. She had heard from the legends that King Edmund was quick of wit and tongue, and she thought she was getting a glimpse of it here. It seemed that her friend would likely lose if it came down to a war of words with the King.

Nevertheless, she couldn't fault Scrubb for trying. "You're not a King here," he huffed.

The King smiled. "Not a King of England," he agreed, "but I am a King of Narnia. And you, my dear cousin, as well as the Lady there," he acknowledged Jill with a tilt of his head, "have since become Narnians and are therefore subject to Our sovereignty."

Lucy giggled at her brother's usage of the old court language. "Not just yours, Brother," she reminded him.

"Right you are, Sister, for you and the Queen Susan rule beside Us equally. And except for Aslan—whom all Narnians serve—there is only one other whose authority is above us." Edmund turned sideways and with exaggerated formality, addressed his brother, "So what say you, my Brother and King?"

The High King rolled his eyes. "Technically, Jill and Eustace are _not_ Narnians, but—as the Professor and Aunt Polly are—Friends of Narnia. And as such, neither you, nor I, nor our royal Sisters would have authority over them, Brother." He grinned wickedly at Edmund. "As Our royal advisor of the laws that govern Narnia, surely you would remember that."

The two girls laughed and even Scrubb smiled as Peter seemed to be siding with him. All of them looked to Edmund to gauge his reaction, and to Jill's surprise, the other King did not appear to be disappointed at all; on the contrary, he appeared cheerful and was unruffled by Peter's response.

"And since we are currently residing in Aunt Polly's house," the High King continued, "it is _her_ rules that we must abide by."

"And those being?" Edmund prompted his brother. Jill felt a little uneasy at the way the younger King was grinning.

"Well, keeping your voices down while she and the Professor are sleeping would be a start," replied a low female voice from behind the Kings. Both Peter and Edmund jumped, startled by the appearance of a young woman with long, dark hair. She stared pointedly at them until they realized they had fully blocked the entrance into the room.

The Kings then stepped aside to let her through. Once the path was clear, she proceeded to ignore the others in the room and carefully made her way toward the fireplace. The fire that had been lit before dinner died down several hours ago and the embers were no longer smoldering. However, it did not seem to be her objective; instead, she stopped in front of a little table beside the fireplace and bent forward. As she straightened and stepped away, Jill saw a wooden bowl had been set there. Whatever its contents, curls of steams rose from the depths of the bowl and Jill thought she caught the scent of something warm and fragrant.

There was little time for her to wonder about it. Now that her task was completed, the woman turned to face them. After a quick glance toward Lucy, Jill and Eustace, she focused her complete attention on the two Kings.

"Honestly," she shook her head at them, "I could hear the entirety of your conversation from the kitchen. If you're not careful, you'll wake the adults in the house."

"Some of us already _are_ awake, Su," Edmund said dryly.

Jill blinked at his response. As she had been observing the Pevensies this evening, she had almost forgotten that they hadn't always been children. That what lay beneath these exteriors were four adults who had fought for and ruled a kingdom.

"Well then, as an _adult_, you should know better, Edmund," Susan chided her younger brother. "And Peter, _really_," she turned to her eldest sibling, "I expected better from you. You _did_ realize you were falling into one of Ed's verbal traps, didn't you?"

Peter flushed slightly at his sister's words. Jill thought it somewhat amusing to find the High King of Narnia wilting beneath Queen Susan's glare; the Queen did not appear to be as Gentle as Jill was led to believe from the old tales.

"Oh, he was falling for it yet again," Lucy confirmed cheerfully, though the words came out in a whisper; after the scolding her brothers just received, she was ever mindful of attracting her sister's wrath. "It was just like in the old days when—."

"We seem to have gotten off-topic, haven't we?" the High King interjected, cutting Lucy off before she could continue that train of thought. Even in the dim light of the room, Jill could still see a bit of color on Peter's face. The King cleared his throat as his two youngest siblings looked on humorously while Queen Susan frowned at the noise he made.

"As I was saying before, we have to obey Aunt Polly's rules while we are here and she would usually defer me in regards to any situation concerning my family."

"So what say you then, Brother?"

Peter gave his cousin and Jill an apologetic look before answering. "Well, you _did_ ask first, Edmund, so it is only fair that we have your question answered first."

Eustace grimaced at the verdict. "Fine," he said, though he was not about to let it go without a parting shot. "But I'll have you know that Lucy asked first, before the rest of you came barging in." The Queen smiled sweetly at him and for a few seconds, he thought it was almost worth the bother of all this nonsense.

"So what's this all about then?" Peter asked as he tried to keep the conversation moving along so they would not be distracted again.

The Pevensies looked to Eustace, who had fallen silent once more. From an outsider's perspective, Jill thought the four of them appeared quite daunting when their attention was directed solely on one person.

"Eustace?" the High King prompted.

Still, her friend did not respond. Jill wondered if Scrubb had suddenly found himself turned into a dumb beast. The longer he remained silent, the more uncomfortable she knew things would be.

It had become too quiet; the only sound she heard was the ticking from the grandfather clock in the room. When she could bear it no longer, she made the decision to spare Scrubb from answering.

"Father Christmas," she said.

And with that simple response, she suddenly found herself the center of everyone's attention.

* * *

**Up next:** In which children and adults try to sort fact from fiction.


	3. Chapter 3

**Winter's Magic**

**Chapter Three:**

"Father Christmas?" asked Queen Lucy.

Jill nodded; now that she had the Pevensies' undivided attention, it was a bit unnerving. She never liked being the subject of attention and though she had faced larger groups than just the four of them—a Parliament of Owls and a court full of Giants immediately came to mind—she felt her past experiences had not prepared her for this.

As she had observed earlier with Lucy, so it was with the rest of the Scrubb's cousins. Aside from the polite and curious looks on their faces, it was what she saw in their eyes that struck her. Not only did she see her own pale face reflected back at her, but pools of ancient knowledge as well. Those simple glances spoke to her more than words could; she could see _they_ were there, the four adult Kings and Queens that had ruled Narnia.

The intensity with which they looked at her almost took her breath away. No wonder Scrubb had trouble responding.

With effort, she found her voice again. "Scrubb and I were going to wait and see if Father Christmas would show up." At a glance from Scrubb, she corrected herself. "Or rather, _I_ was going to see if he would show up."

"Of course he will," Lucy said, matter-of-factly. "Why wouldn't he?"

Jill blushed. "It's just that, well," she looked down, suddenly finding an interest in her slippers, "Last Christmas, I caught my Mum and Dad putting presents under the tree that were supposedly from Father Christmas. So I know he doesn't really exist." She hesitated before shyly adding, "At least, he's not supposed to."

"There's no such thing as Father Christmas," Eustace said, having recovered during Jill's explanation. "Harold and Alberta always said it was a tale told to get children to behave during the hols. I always thought it was a load of rubbish."

"Language, Eustace," Susan cautioned as her eyes darted towards him. At her gaze, he offered her a sheepish smile in apology.

"Well, if you don't think Father Christmas is real, then why are you down here?" asked Edmund.

"_She_," here, Eustace pointed at Jill, "thinks that since we now know Fauns and Centaurs and so on do exist, that maybe Father Christmas isn't just a myth either."

At that, the Pevensies shared knowing smiles with each other.

"But as I told her," he continued, oblivious to their exchange, "all of those creatures exist because it was Narnia. We're in England now and they certainly can't be found in this world."

"Well, you could be right, I suppose," Peter responded fairly, "but we can't be certain that they _don't_ exist here. They could be living secretly in Sherwood Forest, for all we know."

"Or some island in the South Sea," Edmund added with a grin. Jill felt she was missing something here. She did not know where the South Sea was but thought the Queens must have knowledge of it, if the expressions on their faces were anything to go by.

"But on the subject of Father Christmas," the High King suddenly became very serious, "Jill is right. He does exist."

"Well _I_'ve never seen him and I'm sure Pole hasn't either. I even stayed up one Christmas Eve to make sure Harold and Alberta weren't pulling my leg." Jill looked at her friend with surprise at his admission. He did not see her expression; instead he focused on his two eldest cousins. "And besides, I thought at least you and Susan would have stopped believing in those stories by now."

"Eustace," it was with a gentle voice and smile that Susan addressed him, "It is not due to the stories that Peter and I still believe in Father Christmas."

"Cousin," Peter said gravely, "it is not a matter of age but of faith."

"Not just faith." Lucy moved to stand near her siblings. "We've met him, you know."

"You have?" Jill asked, the surprise she felt at this revelation fading quickly as she mulled it over. In the brief time she spent in Narnia, she had met so many fantastical creatures that it really should not have been surprising to see other myths and legends were real in other worlds.

"In Narnia, I suppose," Eustace interrupted before his cousins could answer.

The youngest Queen smiled. "The Witch kept him out of Narnia for one hundred years. When her power began to weaken, he came as soon as he was able to. The first time we met him, he had caught up with us as we were making our way to meet Aslan at the Stone Table. And after that, he came to Cair Paravel every Yule during our reign."

"But that was all in Narnia," Eustace repeated again.

"Eustace," Edmund sighed and shook his head. It was the first time the King had spoken in a while; he had remained unusually silent on the whole discussion of Father Christmas. "There are elements of Narnia that are here, too. Just wait and see."

Jill glanced over at Lucy, who smiled back at her. King Edmund's words were a mirror to what the Queen had said to her earlier.

"See what?" Eustace asked. "And hang on, you still haven't answered my question. Why _are_ all of you up anyway?"

"We have a very special appointment this evening," Edmund replied. "And since you and Jill are up, you're invited to join us."

Jill shared a look with Eustace. Neither of them had any inkling of what the Pevensies were up to. Lucy had said nothing on the matter earlier, and they were unable to discern anything from Edmund's response. Upon further reflection, Jill thought the younger King deliberately kept his voice bland so as not to give anything away. With that in mind, she decided that this _invitation_ did not sound at all promising and perhaps she and Scrubb should escape while they could.

_Too late._ "Yes, the two of you simply must stay," Peter heartily agreed with his brother.

"Well, it's clearly none of our business," Scrubb said hastily. Jill could see that the same thoughts must have crossed his mind as he tried to make his excuses to leave. "Pole and I will just go and—"

"No, no," Peter blithely ignored his cousin's protestations, "you cannot leave now. After this most enlightening conversation, you must share in our duties. I _insist_. Now, take a seat and make yourselves comfortable."

Jill sat down on the sofa, and Eustace reluctantly followed suit. In that last statement, she had heard a hint of command; Jill wondered if it was Peter as the eldest or Peter the High King that spoke to them. Perhaps it was both.

"Duties?" Eustace did not like the sound of that. "What could you possibly need to do in the middle of the night?" There were more questions now that he was forced to attend to whatever madness his cousins were up to. "Do you even know what time it is?"

"A quarter to midnight." Even without looking at the clock, Edmund was able to promptly answer the latter question. "Which means he should be here any minute." He then held his hand up to silence his cousin's forthcoming question.

Jill watched as the Pevensies tilted their heads to the side, as if they were listening for something. From her seat, she could hear nothing but the old clock, Scrubb's breathing, as well as her own breaths. She closed her eyes and tried to block the loudest and closest sounds out, focusing on what else could be heard around them.

There was a hush in the room and she realized that she could not detect the presence of Scrubb's cousins; she knew they were there somewhere but they had become very still and made no sound. As for Scrubb, she felt him fidgeting beside her. She reached out and placed one hand on his lap; he reacted immediately to her touch and stilled his movements.

When he fell quiet, she returned to listening. It was then that she caught a faint sound coming from somewhere above her. She strained her ears, trying to isolate the noise and determine what it was. With each passing second, it grew stronger, louder...

And _very_ familiar. Her eyes snapped open as she thought she recognized the light, tinkling noises. "Is that...?"

She found the four Pevensies returning her stare; the grins that appeared on their faces seemed to confirm her theory. Jill turned to a confused Eustace and grabbed him by the arm. "Scrubb!"

Before he could react, there was a large _thud_ followed by a very loud _pop_.

Six pairs of eyes flew toward the fireplace. Where there had been embers and ash, a bright fire now filled the hearth. The flames crackled cheerfully as the fire softly lit and began to warm the room

Jill could smell the burning wood and feel the heat radiating from the fire but was unable to see any of it; a very large, very imposing figure stood in her line of vision and completely blocked her view. At first, she thought one of the Kings had moved away from the door but when she looked up to see which of them it was, she felt her jaw drop.

* * *

**Up next:** In which the guest of honor arrives, gifts are exchanged and magic is discovered on this side of the Wardrobe.


	4. Chapter 4

**Winter's Magic**

**Chapter Four:**

Peter or Edmund, it certainly was _not_.

For a few brief seconds, she thought the Professor had appeared, having come downstairs to investigate the commotion in the sitting room. But then she realized this man's beard was paler and much longer than Professor Kirke's.

And tall as the Kings were, the newcomer was even taller. It could have just been a matter of perspective, but that was how he appeared to her from her seat on the sofa. Perhaps it was the fashion of his clothes as well, for the man wore a long robe that nearly covered his feet. The robe was of a crimson hue and appeared to be made of crushed velvet, with snowy white trim along the sleeves and hems. A belt was securely fastened around his waist; Jill thought she could see elaborate patterns etched in the dark leather and engraved along the gold buckle as well.

He reached up and pushed the hood of his robe back with both hands, letting it fall quietly behind him until the fabric fell upon his shoulders. Free of shadows, Jill was able to make out his face more clearly. Bright eyes looked out between a row of bushy brows and a set of flushed cheeks. His hair was lighter than his beard, the color almost matching the trim of his robe. And set atop of his head was a crown of holly and ivy.

He stared at each of them for several seconds, and with a wide smile on his face, he spoke.

"Aslan's blessing to all of you on this blessed day." His voice was deep and sounded as if it came from the very core of his being.

"And to you as well, Sir," Peter replied on behalf of his family. "We are well-met and bid you most welcome to this humble abode."

Jill noted the difference in Peter's tone as he greeted the man; here, he was more solemn and kingly than when he used the courtly language in jest with Edmund earlier. This was indeed the High King of Narnia speaking now.

The man bowed. "Your Majesties."

The Pevensies had been standing together in a row, with Edmund at one end and Lucy at the other. Their eldest siblings were between them, with Susan positioned next to both her brothers. As she looked on, Jill thought of the four thrones she had seen in the great hall of King Caspian's castle. She could picture a throne set behind each of Scrubb's cousins from where they stood.

When the man stood up from his bow, the four Kings and Queens returned the gesture; Peter and Edmund bowed as befitting their ranks of Knight and King while Susan and Lucy curtseyed gracefully as they lifted the hems of their nightgowns. Dressed as they were in the ill-fitting, secondhand clothing of wartime England, they still moved as if they were arrayed in their finest at Cair Paravel.

It was Susan who broke the formality of their greeting as she stepped forward. She slid away from her siblings and walked over to the fireplace. With a fluid movement, the dark-haired queen picked up the bowl she had set down on the table upon her entrance. Whatever was inside the vessel was still warm as puffs of steam continued to rise up from its center.

Jill thought the older girl would offer the bowl to the older man and was surprised to find the Queen had presented it to her brother instead. King Peter then lifted the bowl in salute to the man.

"Wassail, Father!" said the High King as he raised the bowl to his lips and drank from it. He then returned the bowl to Susan, who offered her own greeting and sipped from the bowl as well. This was followed with similar motions from Edmund and Lucy as each of them honored the man in turn.

Jill had never witnessed such a scene as the one before her. She came from a small family and was unaccustomed to any sort of real holiday tradition other than the exchange of gifts. With a glance at Scrubb, she thought it was the same with him. There appeared to be a mixture of confusion and wonderment on his face as he looked on. At the same moment she had looked at him, he had turned to face her as well.

"_Wassail?_" she asked in a whisper, puzzled as each of the Pevensies repeated the word.

Scrubb shrugged; he was at a loss to explain this to her. "It could be a Narnian thing," he murmured.

"Nay." The two children started as a deep voice answered them; neither of them had intended for their words to be heard by the others. They turned away from each other to find Father Christmas looking at them.

"'Tis an ancient tradition that began first in _this_ world," the older man said. "Long before Narnia was sung into being. Though it has diminished here, the customs as remembered by King Frank and Queen Helen continue to flourish in the land that they were given to rule.

"And yet, every Christmas, there are still places in this world where the old tradition lives on. The number grows fewer every year, but I am certain always to find it _here_." Jill noted that Father Christmas now held the bowl in his hand. "And so, my friends," he lifted the bowl up, "_Wassail_ to all of you!"

Queen Susan took the bowl from Father Christmas once he drank from it. As soon as his hands were free, he reached behind him and pulled a large leather sack to his side. Jill wondered how she had not seen the bag earlier, given its immense size; she thought several Narnian Dwarfs could fit inside it with room to spare.

The man loosened the cord around its neck and peered in. He looked up and Jill was startled to find him staring straight at her.

"Jill, Eve's Daughter," he beckoned for her to come closer. Eyes wide, she got up from the sofa and made her way to him.

"Sir," she greeted him softly.

"And Eustace, Adam's Son." There was a pause, and she heard movement behind her as Scrubb approached.

"You're supposed to be just a story," Eustace stammered "A legend."

The man that was supposedly a myth smiled, not offended by the boy's remarks.

"All legends are founded on the basis of truth," he said. "It is over time that truth changes and what was fact becomes fairy tales.

"Your cousins, Son of Adam, are a fine example of this. Before Caspian became King, the stories of the four Kings and Queens were known only as old wives' tales amongst the Telmarines. So many years had passed that even the Narnians thought this part of their history was just a myth. The Narnians had to see them with their own eyes to know and believe their past was real."

"Then why did we never see you before, Sir?"

Father Christmas turned his attention to Jill and held her gaze in his.

"I am as strong as your belief is in me, child. When your faith is strong, then it is easier for me to come to you and for you to see me." She recalled what the High King had said to Scrubb and now she understood.

He saw the clarity in her face and smiled. "And now, I think it is time for your presents."

As he reached into his bag, Jill wondered what her gift would be. A small part of her hoped that it would be a box of her favorite chocolates. Every Christmas, she looked forward to receiving it from her parents but she knew it would be more difficult this year. Sweets had been added to the ration list over the summer, and she had resigned herself to the loss this holiday.

She had not expected to receive anything at all this evening; it was treat enough for her to be allowed to spend Christmas with other people that had been to Narnia as well. Miss Plummer's letter and invitation arrived just over a week ago, and her parents' consent to let her come was their gift to her instead of the sweets.

He rummaged around in the bag for a moment and what he pulled out was completely unexpected. To her great surprise, the man handed her a bow and a quiver of arrows. As she stared at her gift in shock, he reached into the bag again and drew out a similar set that was then given to an equally stunned Scrubb.

"I give these to you not for you to fight, but for what you will earn by learning to use them."

Jill looked up from examining the bow. "I—We don't understand, Sir."

"It will be a part of your story, Jill." The young girl turned to Lucy, who looked solemnly at her. "I'm sure there will come a time when these gifts will help you and Eustace in some way."

"As it was with us," said Peter, "so it will be with you. Father Christmas once told us that they are tools, not toys." He cast a smile at the man. "I'm sure he means the same here."

"But I've never used a bow and arrow before," Jill said. She had kept only a knife on her during their travels in Narnia. Scrubb had a sword at the time, and Puddleglum had also lent him a bow since he had some experience with it from his first adventure. Even so, she did not think Scrubb would be able to teach her how to use the bow effectively.

She then wondered why everyone had suddenly looked to Susan. The Queen blushed at the attention and murmured, "Oh, very well."

"I'll help, too," Lucy said as she reached over and grasped her sister's hand. With a grin at Jill and Eustace, she explained, "Susan was the finest archer in our kingdom. She taught me archery while Peter and Edmund trained with the swordmasters."

"Learn well from these Queens," Father Christmas advised them, "and never forget to trust in yourself and your skills. And now, here is something for all of you..."

He then reached into his bag again and—Jill had never been able to recall afterward how he had done it—pulled out the largest tray she had ever seen and set it down on the table. Sitting on top of the silver platter were plates of food she had not seen the likes of since the dinner banquet she and Scrubb attended during their first night in Narnia. There were pies and puddings, breads and several types of cheese. She saw flagons of wine set between the plates and in the center of the tray was a large turkey, roasted to a golden color and surrounded by berries and other fruits as if they were jewels.

It had been many years since she had seen such a Christmas dinner. Almost everything that appeared on the table had been rationed or made entirely unavailable since the war began. She doubted that even King George would celebrate the holiday with such a feast as the one before them.

"And now I must take my leave." Father Christmas tightened the cord around his oversized bag and stood up. He turned to the Pevensies and said, "Please convey my greetings to the Lord Digory and the Lady Polly."

"We will," the High King promised. "May the Lion be with you on the rest of your journey this eve. Merry Christmas, Sir."

The older man smiled and then let out a booming laugh. "And a Merry Christmas to you, Kings and Queens, and Friends of Narnia. Long live the King!" Before any of them could react, he had disappeared and they heard the jingling of bells fading into the distance.

There was a moment of silence as they looked at the food and then to one another. Once again, it was Queen Susan who was the first to act. "Well, best to start eating before it gets cold," she said it in such a manner that allowed no contradiction. "Peter, do you think we should wake the Professor and Aunt Polly, or should we let them sleep?"

The High King considered this for a minute. "The Professor is a deep sleeper, though I believe Aunt Polly is not. But I think there's a chance they may still be up since they knew of our plans tonight. I'll go upstairs and check."

Susan nodded and then turned to her younger brother. "Edmund, would you mind helping me fetch some plates and cutlery from the kitchen?"

"And cups for the wine, Su," Edmund added as he indicated the flagons with a tilt of his head. He then strode to the door and held it open for his sister and brother. The two brothers allowed Susan to exit first before following her out.

Once the three of them left the room, Jill found herself with just Lucy and Scrubb again. Her friend had taken his seat on the sofa and was busy examining his new bow. She looked down at her own bow and traced the delicate scrollwork adorning the wooden limbs with her fingers.

"It seems very well made," Lucy said as she approached her friend. With an experienced eye, she admired its construction. Jill handed the bow to the Queen for further inspection so she could take a closer look at the quiver of arrows instead.

"Hmm." The fair-haired girl bent the bow to test its elasticity and then plucked the string. She smiled as the twang vibrated in the room. "Narnian make perhaps? It reminds me of the ones the Centaurs used during the second Battle of Beruna."

"I think you're right," Jill said; to her untrained eye, it did resemble the ones she saw the Centaurs carry as they brought Scrubb and herself to Cair Paravel at the end of the quest.

"It's a wonderful present," she said. "I hadn't been expecting anything tonight, but then all of this," she gestured toward the bow, the fire, and the food, "happened and—" She looked up at Lucy as a thought entered her head. "Oh! But you didn't get a gift! None of you received anything." She cringed first at the loudness of her words, and then when she realized it was inconsiderate of her to have brought the subject up. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—"

"It's all right, Jill." The Queen smiled at her. "Do not be sorry for you are mistaken. We did get a gift."

"Do you mean the food?"

Lucy shook her head. "No, we received something better."

She was confused. The only things that Father Christmas had given were the bows and quivers, and the Christmas dinner. She did not remember seeing him hand anything to the Pevensies. "What did you get?"

"_His_ blessing."

Scrubb looked up at that, mirroring her own astonishment at Lucy's response.

"In Narnia, we received jewels and fancy gowns and all sorts of beautiful and pretty things, but they paled in comparison to Aslan's blessing and love." Jill knew from her tone of voice that it was the adult Queen speaking to them. "When the boys went to war and Susan and I were left behind, it was always His blessing we asked for, to guide them on their journey and to bring them back safely to us. Our family—my brothers and sister, and our subjects—were more important to us than all the treasure that could fill the halls of the castle.

"And even though my siblings and I cannot return to Narnia, we know He is here in this world too. It gives us joy to know that he still looks upon us and offers us his blessing when we no longer serve him in our capacity as Kings and Queens. So Father Christmas' message to us was my family's gift."

Jill stared at Lucy; the Queen had spoken with such gravity that she was unsure if could find anything appropriate to say in response. Fortunately, she and Eustace were saved from answering as the door swung open and Edmund poked his head in. The King glanced around and his eyes settled on his cousin.

"Eustace, would you come and help us in the kitchen? Su's decided she wants to serve the rest of the wassail she's made and I could use an extra hand to help bring it in here."

"Ah... sure." Eustace wasn't sure exactly what his cousin meant, but rose to go help them anyway. The boy carefully set his gift down on the cushions before taking his leave. Edmund pushed the door wider and as Eustace walked through, Jill could hear her friend asking about the wassail.

It was just Lucy and herself now, as it was not so long ago. She could scarcely believe that everything happened in such a short amount of time.

"So you were right after all, Queen Lucy," she said. "There is magic in this world, too."

"Yes, and you were able to see and experience it to the fullest on this night." There was a pause, and then the Queen said earnestly, "But remember that there is magic around you, even on the most ordinary day. You just need to open yourself up to find it."

Jill nodded. She didn't think she would ever forget the events and lessons of this extraordinary evening.

"And Jill?" She had her eyes on the door as she began to hear voices in the hall; it seemed the others were returning to the sitting room. At Lucy's question, she turned away and looked at her friend.

The Queen smiled broadly at her as the clock struck midnight. "Merry Christmas."

_End._


End file.
